Catching Up Over Lunch
by Marymel
Summary: Prequel of sorts to "You Are Not To Blame." Sofia meets Morgan for lunch and catches up on goings on at the lab.


**I don't own CSI.**

**I apologize for doing this backwards, but I thought this would make a cool story.**

**I just finished a story called "You Are Not To Blame," where I mentioned that Sofia had lunch with Morgan before going to see Jim. So, of course, I had to write a story where the two women had lunch. Since we first met Sofia as the right-hand of Morgan's father, Conrad Ecklie, they probably had a lot to talk about. Anyway, here's the story I came up with. Hope you enjoy...and please review!**

Morgan was on her way back to Russell's office when she saw a familiar face talking to her father, Undersheriff Conrad Ecklie. As she got closer, she smiled. "Sofia?"

Sofia Curtis-Ecklie's former right-hand and now Deputy Sheriff-looked and smiled at the young woman. "Morgan? Oh, wow." She laughed and the two women shared a hug. "Wow, you're with the team."

"Yeah," Conrad said. "And I'm proud of her."

Morgan smiled at her father, then at Sofia. "Yeah, I've been here for about a year. I love it."

"Wow," Sofia said softly.

"Look, I have to get this to Russell, but are you free for lunch?"

"Sure," Sofia said. "Say...12:30, The Apple Martini?"

"Sounds good," Morgan said as she left for her supervisor's office.

Sofia smiled at her former colleague and supervisor, who was watching his daughter with pride. "She's really grown up."

Conrad sighed. "Yeah, I know. And she's a great addition to the team."

* * *

True to their word, Morgan and Sofia met at the Apple Martini restaurant at 12:30 on the dot. The women sat down at a booth and glanced over the menu.

"So," Sofia began. "You've been here for a year? I thought Conrad said you were in LA."

"I was," Morgan explained with a sigh. "Then that whole thing with Ray Langston happened."

"Ah," Sofia said with a nod. "I remember. Sheriff Liston called me in to head the task force. He was so determined to go after Haskell."

"He did, came after him in LA." Morgan set her menu on the table as the waitress came over to take their drink orders. "I'll have a diet soda, please," Morgan told her.

"Same here," Sofia said. The waitress left and Sofia looked at the young CSI. "I-I still can't believe you're in Vegas. Last time I saw you was just before you told your dad you were moving to California."

Morgan nodded. "Yeah, you were still a CSI."

"Yeah, that was...oh, man...15 years ago?"

"Yeah, right before I decided to go to Stanford."

Sofia smiled at the young woman. "So how do you like Vegas?"

Morgan smiled. "I gotta say, it's a perfect fit. The team is really great. Have you met Russell?"

"No, not yet," Sofia said as the waitress brought their drinks. She took their orders and left again. "No," Sofia continued. "I haven't met him yet, but your dad and Jim have both said good things about him."

"Yeah, he's a good man. And Nick and Sara have been amazing, Hodges is a great friend. Doc Robbins is awesome."

Sofia smiled softly. "What about Greg?"

Morgan smiled and sighed. "He's...wonderful. I mean, he and I have really been getting to know each other and...who knows?"

Sofia smiled. "You know, I remember when he first became a CSI. That was right around the time your dad split up Grissom's team."

"When he demoted you?" Morgan tentatively asked.

"Yeah," Sofia replied. "But that led to me getting my shield and now I'm here."

Morgan smiled. "I've heard about what happened to Nick...and that led to the team getting back together. Then Warrick died."

"Yeah," Sofia said softly. "I don't know why I was surprised it was McKeen. The man was always a jerk."

Nodding, Morgan said, "I guess...things do happen for a reason. I mean, this team is great and it's truly become a family. And you're the Deputy Sheriff, and I'm actually talking to my dad again."

Sofia laughed softly. "I guess...maybe Ecklie's grown up too."

The waitress brought their food and the two women continued talking and enjoying their lunch.

"You know," Morgan began, "I think you'd like Finn."

"Who?" Sofia asked as she took a bite of her sandwich.

"Oh, Julie Finlay. The blood expert Russell hired a while back."

Sofia nodded. "Yeah, I heard about her going to Seattle after the trail of a serial killer was found here."

Morgan nodded. "She kinda reminds me of you." Sofia raised her eyebrows. "She does her job well and doesn't take any BS."

Nodding, Sofia said, "I will take that as a compliment."

"You should," Morgan told her. "She's a pretty cool person."

Sofia smiled. "I heard Catherine left for the F.B.I." Morgan nodded. "You heard from her?"

Morgan nodded. "Yeah, Nick and Greg and Sara and I talk to her at least once a week or so. She's doing good."

Sofia nodded and smiled, thinking of how she knew Catherine as a strong-willed CSI. "You know, I understand why she was demoted after the whole Langston thing, but I know she was a good CSI."

"She was," Morgan insisted. "Sara told me that there was a CSI that worked with the team for a year a few years back...a Riley Adams? She said that Riley had some harsh words about Catherine's leadership. But, I gotta say, when I worked with her and the others in LA, she was a good leader."

"Maybe this...Riley should have thought of the fact that the team had just lost Warrick and were still...reeling."

Morgan nodded. "They've really come so far."

Sofia smiled at the thoughtful, beautiful woman. "You've come so far with them, I understand." Morgan looked at her, confused. "I heard about the helicopter hijacking," Sofia clarified.

Morgan nodded and looked down at the table. "I think...that was when I realized I had a second chance with my dad...and that Greg cares about me."

"You do, and I'm sure he does," Sofia said with a smile.

Morgan looked at the concerned detective. "At first I thought Greg was just worried because I took his place on the chopper, but...then Sara told me about how he was beaten up a few years ago."

Sofia nodded sadly. "I remember. I was the first on the scene and I saw him..." she shook her head, remembering how Greg went through hell.

Morgan sighed. "He's really wonderful."

Sofia smiled at the young woman. "Yes, he is."

"And," Morgan continued, "If dad and I can get a second chance...maybe Brass and his daughter can too."

Sofia raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You know about his daughter."

Morgan pursed her lips and nodded. "Did you hear about the killing on the Strip a few weeks ago? This guy took video of himself waving a head around?"

Sofia nodded. "Thinking he could be a viral celebrity?"

Morgan nodded. "Anyway, I processed a hooker that was brought in for questioning. She had a ring that I took to process. It was inscribed, _Nancy Brass_."

Sofia blew out a breath. "That's how you met her?"

"Oh, no." Morgan shook her head. "No, she wasn't his daughter. Turns out she knows his daughter in a...professional capacity."

Sofia closed her eyes and sighed. "Last I heard, she was back in LA. I'm surprised you didn't meet her there."

"Well, she's in Vegas now."

Sofia's eyes widened. "Really?"

Morgan nodded. "Yeah. Brass told me a little about her." She shook her head sadly. "I know Brass is kind of...gruff, I suppose...but he is a good man."

Sofia nodded and smiled slightly. "Yes, he is."

With a smile and a raised eyebrow, Morgan asked, "How long have you too been seeing each other."

Sofia's head snapped up and her jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

Morgan smiled. "Well, you came by the softball game we had a while back, and he mentions every once in a while that he meets a good friend for coffee..."

"So you put two and two together?" Sofia asked with a grin.

Morgan laughed and sipped her soda.

Sighing, Sofia said, "I guess...we've just figured out we're good together."

"That's great," Morgan said with a warm smile. "Seriously, you and Jim both deserve happiness."

"Thank you," Sofia said, returning a smile.

The waitress brought the check to the table and Sofia quickly snatched it. "I got this."

"Thank you," Morgan said. Just then, her cell beeped. "It's from Russell, 419 off Tropicana."

"Go ahead," Sofia said with a nod. "We'll get together again soon."

Morgan smiled. "Sure."

The two women said goodbye and Sofia took out her credit card to pay the check. Watching Morgan leave, she thought about her as a young girl, asking her father questions about how things work in his job. She laughed softly, thinking of how Morgan was always interested in science. She thought of her working with the team, and was happy that she had found a home with them in Vegas.

Sofia thought about texting Jim, but decided to drop by his office instead. She wished Jim and Ellie could get the kind of second chance Morgan was getting with Conrad. She hoped Ellie would one day make amends with Jim.

Sofia smiled and left, heading for Jim's office. _He deserves to be happy_, she thought to herself with a smile.

**The End.**


End file.
